of biological magnification or amplification. Thus, DDT builds up from 0.04 ppm in plankton to 75 ppm in fish-eating birds. Man occupies a high trophic level in the food chain and hence gets a high dose of pesticide, which is quite harmful. (iv) Waterlogging: Excessive irrigation of croplands for good growth of crop leads to waterlogging. In the absence of adequate drainage, excess water is 16 Environment and Ecology accumulated which seeps into the underlying water table. Pore spaces in the soil get fully drenched with water and soil-air becomes deficient. The water table rises and the roots of plants have insufficient air for respiration. There is decline in crop yield with decrease in soil strength. Punjab and Haryana have faced water-logging problems as a result of extensive irrigation by canal water or shallow tubewell water and consequently sharp decline in crop output. (v) Salinity Problem: In addition to waterlogging, salinity also rises from excessive irrigation water. The latter contains dissolved salts which under dry conditions evaporates leaving behind salts in the upper soil profile. Saline soils are characterized by accumulation of soluble salts such as sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride etc. in the soil profile. Salinity causes stunted plant growth and reduces crop yield. Thousands of hectares of land in Haryana and Punjab have been affected by soil salinity. The best method for getting rid of salinity is to flush out by applying freshwater to such soils. 1.10 INDUSTRY Industries produce environmental hazards everywhere. They consume 37 per cent of worlds energy and emit 50 per cent of worlds CO2, 90 per cent of SOx and almost all the chemicals now threatening O3 layer with depletion. Every year, they produce 2100 m illion tonnes of solid waste and 350 million tonnes of hazardous waste. In developing countries, small as well as big industries discharge untreated waste. There is world-wide concern about the disposal of radioactive wastes from nuclear reactors. Nuclear reactor Human Activities and Their Impact on Environment 17 accidents are expected to increase over the years. The stock of nuclear power stations is also ageing. In developed countries, industries have enforced economy during the last two decades in the use of resources and energy consumption. It is a common practice for these industries to recycle and reuse water. The average person in a developed country still consumes 15 times more energy than in a poor country. However, in a developed country energy is being used more efficiently and the expected rate of increase of energy consumption is only 1.3 per cent per year.